Page 11 of The Gold Rush Bride

Barnaby put his arm out for her. “About ten-thirty at night. We have what seems like endless days for a while. And then, in winter, we have what seems like endless nights, with sunrise at about noon and sunset at about four-thirty. Then we’ll work into the night because the days are so short.”

She placed her hand through the crook of his elbow, despite the mud that was still on him from when he carried her.He’s such a gentleman. After the mob earlier, I hadn’t expected this sort of civility.

“I’m not afraid of hard work. I plan on keeping up my share of the bargain.”

“Good, because I don’t plan on doing the work for two and having you lying about in the tent all day.”

She looked up at him as her brows screwed lower. “I would never do that.”

“What about when you’re pregnant?”

Her face burned. “That will not happen,” she whispered, “and you already know why.”This is not a topic that is usually raised in mixed company. Is he trying to shock me?

Barnaby shrugged. “Sometimes, things change.”

“Well, they are not about to change for us. Ours is a business arrangement. Nothing more.” She waited for him to say something.

But he didn’t, just kept walking.

“Will you teach me how to shoot? I bought a rifle and a pistol, with plenty of ammunition for both. I also brought my father’s old shotgun, which I already know how to shoot.”

He nodded. “I’ll teach you because you must know, and we’ll need a lot of ammo to teach you. But I’d rather not use it all, because we’ll need some for hunting and protection, so I hope you are a quick learner. We have to be vigilant. There are claim jumpers who are always trying to take over a working claim.”

They walked into the hotel, and Sadie led the way to her room. She took the key from her pocket and opened the door. The room was comfortable looking. An old iron bedstead, a chair, and a chest of drawers were the only things present.

“I’ll ask for some extra blankets, and I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Sadie rubbed her gloved hands up and down her arms. Then bit her lower lip. “Very well.”

Barnaby left to get the extra blankets.

When he returned, he made a pallet for himself on the floor.

Sadie sat on one side of the bed and removed her boots. The mud that hadn’t flaked off while they walked still caked them. It came off in chunks, even as she removed them. Fortunately, she’d tucked her pants in the boots so she wouldn’t soil the bed.

Once her boots were off, she lay back and sighed. “I can’t believe how bone tired I am.” As if to punctuate her sentence, she yawned wide. “Sorry. I know I’ll be a lot more tired up at the claim, but I can’t help but yawn now.” She closed her eyes and turned her back toward Barnaby, where he lay on the floor.

She lay there for a while. Guilt filled her for making him sleep on the floor. But she’d never had a man in her bed, still he was her husband and they were both adults.I wonder what it would be like to sleep next to a man. Will I enjoy waking up next to him?

She turned over in the bed and looked down at Barnaby. “If you want, I could sleep under the sheet and you on top of it. Then we’d both stay warm. It’s freezing in here. There’s not a fireplace and you’ll be cold if you sleep on the floor.”

Barnaby lifted a brow. “You’d do that for me?”

She stiffened her back. “We’ll be living together. If I thought you were anything but a gentleman, I wouldn’t have agreed to the arrangement.”

Barnaby took off his hat. “That’s very kind of you, Sadie. I would like very much to sleep on the bed. At the camp, you’ll find that the cots are not that comfortable or that warm, but it is what it is. John and I did our best to make the place comfortable.”

“I’m sure you did, and I’ll be fine. You’ll see. I’m very adaptable,” she grinned. “When I want to be. Besides, I brought more blankets. Maybe that will help some.”

“Extra blankets are always welcome.”

Sadie turned her back to him and was asleep within minutes.

* * *

Barnaby quietly chuckled.Hiswifesnored. And not some soft little whimper. She snored, just like her father had...great sawing sounds came from the other side of the bed. He didn’t know if it was a coincidence or a family trait, but he’d already gotten used to her father’s snores, so hers didn’t bother him. He turned his back to her and closed his eyes...a smile tugging at his lips.

* * *